


Life's Too Short

by jareauisles



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-03-07 19:38:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3180686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jareauisles/pseuds/jareauisles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emily returns to help the team find JJ and everything changes between them. [One-shot based on the '200' promo photos]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life's Too Short

Emily guided the blonde women next to her down the hall with her arm around her waist.

JJ allowed herself to be comforted by Emily’s touch. She was breathing heavily and clutching her side, fairly sure that a few ribs were broken.

She remembered her relief only moments ago when Emily, Rossi and Blake had came charging into the room she was being held. When her eyes met Emily’s she couldn’t believe the brunette was actually there. 

JJ limped through the building holding onto Emily and was met by Morgan and Reid. 

“God, JJ are you ok?” Morgan said as he hugged her in relief, with Reid following.

“Yeah.” JJ said with a raspy voice. “I’m fine.” She lied, smiling slightly.

JJ looked at Emily, eyes pleading with her to get her out of the building. 

“Come on.” Emily said wrapping her arm around JJ’s waist again. “Hotch called Will, he’s meeting us at the hospital with Henry.”

JJ felt tears form in her eyes when she thought about her son. She didn’t know what Will and the team had told Henry or what she would tell him but she was so relieved that she would see him again that she couldn’t think about that right now.

Hotch helped JJ into the ambulance once they were outside.

She saw Emily standing awkwardly not knowing if she should go in or not but JJ just nodded. She wanted the brunette there. She was the only person who could take her mind off what happened.

Emily held JJ’s hand gently, her thumb rubbing circles across her skin. JJ stared straight up at the ceiling faintly aware of Emily’s touch and presence. She was zoning out though. All the thoughts and memories in her head were already starting to consume her. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. 

“What’s going on in your head Jay?” Emily said kissing JJ’s hand softly.

JJ just shook her head, not willing to speak about it.

“Guilt, right?” Emily said and JJ looked at her shocked, but then remembered her time with Doyle. JJ nodded looking away.

“I know, You feel guilty, ashamed and weak. I know all that because that’s what I felt too for months.” Emily paused, tilting JJ’s face to look at her. “It wasn’t your fault so you shouldn’t feel guilty, you were so brave so you shouldn’t be ashamed and you’re the strongest woman I know so you shouldn’t feel weak.” Emily said firmly, her exterior cracking and a tear rolling down her cheek matching JJ’s.

“I put everyone in danger Em.” JJ whispered shaking her head. “I lied to them for months, I deceived them again.” JJ said letting another tear fall. “They’ll never trust me again, they hate me.” 

“Hey!” Emily raised her voice slightly. “They don’t hate you.” Emily said with no room for argument but JJ didn’t believe it one bit and Emily could sense it. “Whatever they told you back there JJ, you can’t believe it.” Emily said knowing that her captors must have been messing with JJ’s head. “We all admire your strength and your courage. So get whatever they said out of your head right now.” Emily finished.

“I-I can’t.” JJ said breaking into sobs. “Th-they h-hate me.” JJ broke down as Emily gathered her into her arms, rocking her gently, whispering soothing words into her ears as she fell asleep.

\-----

When JJ woke an hour later in the hospital, she was quiet and distant. Even as the team came in, she put on a fake smile but her eyes were dead and emotionless. Emily knew what she was doing. She was trying to block it out like she tried to do in the ambulance only this time it was working.

“Mommy!” Henry shouted running in with Will behind.

“Buddy, what did I say about jumping on your Momma?” Will said shaking his head watching Henry climb onto her bed.

“That I wasn’t to do it because she was sore” Henry mumbled, looking down guiltily.

“It’s ok, buddy, all I need is a big kiss and hug from you to make me feel better.” JJ said making Henry eyes widen and he hugged JJ again. 

Emily saw JJ’s eyes light up as soon as Henry came into the room, she knew this was what she needed.

“Daddy said you were catching the bad guys and you got them!” Henry exclaimed happily.

“Yeah we did.” JJ chuckled. Henry frowned when he finally took in the bruises on JJ’s face. “Don’t worry buddy, Mommy just got a little hurt but I’m ok now you’re here.” JJ said putting the smile back on her sons face.

“Henry, why don’t we go see your Auntie Pen?” Will said but Henry frowned which he noticed. “Don’t worry we’ll come back and see your Momma soon.” Will finished which made Henry nod.

Will walked over to the bed and gave JJ a kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re ok.” He said softly before leaving the room with Henry.

Emily’s eyebrows shot up at the strange interaction between the married couple.

“What was that about?” Emily asked trying to get JJ to open up.

“No one told you?” JJ asked frowning in confusion.

“Told me what?” Emily asked impatiently.

“We got a divorce a couple of months ago.” JJ muttered quietly.

“What, why?” Emily squeaked in surprise. She guessed that in the midst of finding JJ the team had forgotten to tell her.

“A lot of reasons but it just wasn’t working anymore, we were both unhappy and it was starting to affect Henry so I suggested we end it before we started resenting each other.” JJ said looking at Emily for the first time since they had been in the hospital.

Emily just nodded, still shocked. “I wasn’t expecting that.” She said to which JJ just shrugged.

“Can you?” JJ asked quietly pointing to her bed. 

“I don’t think we’re allowed JJ.” Emily said warily.

“Please.” JJ whispered. She just needed the comfort of Emily’s embrace again.

Emily finally nodded climbing into the bed with JJ, wrapping her arm around JJ’s waist from behind and her hand came to rest on her stomach with JJ’s on top.

They lay still for a few minutes and as Emily got lost in the intimate embrace, she unconsciously pressed a soft kiss to the back of JJ’s neck.

Her eyes flew open when she felt JJ stiffen in her arms and she realised what she had done.

“God, I am so sorry.” Emily stuttered moving to get up but JJ pulled her back down on the bed and turned around to face her.

JJ searched Emily’s eyes looking for any signs of regret or disgust and saw none. She moved closer to the brunette and cupped her cheek before pressing her lips against hers. 

After a few short moments she felt Emily responding as her hand came to rest on JJ’s waist gently, careful of her injuries.

After a few minutes they pulled away resting their foreheads together. 

“You know one of the reasons why my marriage with Will never worked was because I was in love with you, even though I pushed it away all these years, I still felt it.” JJ whispered hesitantly, not wanting to scare the brunette.

However, Emily didn’t hesitate. “I love you, too.” She replied softly. If there was one thing she had learned from this, it was that life was too short not to spend it with the one you love.


End file.
